Senate Passes Bill to Make School Lunches Healthy

WASHINGTON (AP) - Pizzas and hamburgers in the school lunch line would be healthier under child nutrition legislation passed by the Senate Thursday, a key part of first lady Michelle Obama's campaign to end childhood obesity.

The $4.5 billion legislation passed by voice vote would create new standards for all foods in schools, including vending machine items, to give students healthier meal options. It would also expand the number of low-income children eligible for free or reduced cost meals.

The legislation had stalled since Senate committee passage in March, but it gained new attention as the White House became involved this week. President Barack Obama on Thursday called Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., who had concerns about the cost of the bill and had threatened to object to it, to assure him the legislation was paid for. The bill has been a top priority for Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Blanche Lincoln, an Arkansas Democrat who is in a tough re-election race this year.

First lady Michelle Obama praised the bill shortly after it was passed, calling it a "groundbreaking piece of legislation that will help us provide healthier school meals to children across America" that "will play an integral role in our efforts to combat childhood obesity."

A similar bill is pending in the House after committee approval last month.

The new nutrition standards would not remove popular foods like pizzas from schools completely, but would make them healthier, using whole-wheat crust or low-fat mozzarella, for example. Vending machines could be stocked with less candy and fewer high-calorie sodas.

Creation of new standards, which public health advocates have sought for a decade, has unprecedented support from many of the nation's largest food and beverage companies. The two sides came together on the issue as a heightened interest in nutrition made it more difficult for the companies to push junk foods in schools.

Congressional passage of the bill would be only the first step. Decisions on what kinds of foods will be sold - and what ingredients may be limited - would be left up to the Agriculture Department.

Part of the deal to move the legislation this week was to change the way it was paid for. While the committee bill partially paid for the legislation by reducing conservation subsidies paid to farmers for using environmentally friendly farming practices, the Senate-passed bill took $2.2 billion out of future funding for food stamp programs instead after some farm-state senators objected to using the subsidy money.

Hunger advocates who had previously supported the bill said they would now oppose it.

"If the only way they can pay for anything is to cut food stamp benefits, then the nation is in worse shape than we thought," Jim Weill, president of the Food Research and Action Center, said after the vote Thursday.

Lincoln said Democrats used the money for child nutrition because lawmakers had been eyeing that pot of money for other priorities as well. Food stamp money was also used to pay for a jobs bill the Senate passed Thursday.

"I think it's most appropriate if these dollars are going to be spent, that they are spent on nutrition for kids," she said.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. This article was written by MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press Writer.

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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)

How about we just STOP spending money altogether, until we can get a handle on the already completely out-of-control budget and government that we have now.

Here we are, dickering over what programs should have to give up money to pay for other programs, and nearly every person in this country is yelling that there isn't enough money for any of it (which there isn't, according to the National Debt Clock, each citizen is already in for more than $43 THOUSAND dollars, thank you Mr. Obama), but the idiots on Capitol Hill just keep spending spending spending.

I'm all for kids eating healthy food, and it's amazingly simple and cheap to feed your kid healthy. Produce, whole wheat bread, even peanut butter is cheaper and go farther than the crap that is provided at school. And don't tell me that people "can't afford to feed their kids" when most of the "poor" people in this country are walking around with cellphones and cable TV.

The debt was already very high before Mr Obama (Thank you, Dubya). Healthy food is not cheap, so I'm guessing you have no money worries.. You should be happy, since part of the money for this bill was taken from food stamp money. It's less you have to pay out of your very stingy, yet deep pockets.

Angela, first off, everything isn't "Dubya's" fault. Most of the current problems of this economy can be placed squarely in Mr. Obama's lap. He's been at this job for 18 months now. It is now his responsibility. It's time to stop blaming Mr. Bush.

Second, I have plenty of "money worries"... but I know how to spend my money wisely. And perhaps healthy food isn't "cheap", but it's far more inexpensive and easier to stretch than the junk that's pushed in most schools. For example: I know that a loaf of bread costs about $2.00, a jar of peanut butter, another $2, and a pound of strawberries, around $1 (they're in season). If there's money left over, you can throw in a couple of bananas. Slather peanut butter on a slice of bread. Top with sliced strawberries and another slice of bread. Voila! A tasty and healthy lunch, especially if you add the banana. Accompany with water to drink, which is healthier than anything (other than milk) that you'll find in a school that calls "Gatorade" a "healthy drink".

The price of healthy food drops even further if you watch for sales, and/or grow your own food. I currently have a garden full of free tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, green peppers, spinach, and watermelon. Many of those things can be canned and used through the year. I am also capable of making my own bread (and it's simple enough that anyone can make it), which also saves a lot of money.

That same $5.00 would buy around 3 pre-prepared meals (of chicken nuggets and french fries) at school, but will buy ingredients for at least a week's worth of sandwiches.

3) stop throwing around insults. I'm not in favor of taking money from the food stamp program any more than I am for taking money from the defense budget. My point is that our "representatives" seem to think that it's no big deal to continue to spend money when we are already TRILLIONS of dollars in debt (most of which happened on Obama's watch). My son is only 6, and already owes $43 THOUSAND dollars, because of the "just print more" mentality of those on Capitol Hill.

Get your head out of the sand. These "feel good" policies do nothing but drive our deficit higher, and keep the crooks in power.

In addition to the focus on school lunches, Congress could help by making it illegal to buy anything other than REAL FOOD with Food Stamps. I work in a convenience store and am sick to death of my tax dollars being used to buy Twinkies, Slim Jims, chips, soda, candy and gum with Food Stamps.

Ok, Angela, healthy food is not cheap. But hundreds of dollars a month on junk is not ok either. Go to the supermarket and buy FOOD. Even the Farmer's Markets accept Food Stamps now. Buy fruits and vegetables and meat - there are always relatively inexpensive choices available. Check the sales and use coupons.

And Angela, I DO have money worries. I have to work for EVERY PENNY I spend. I work my ass off to put reasonably healthy food on the table for my kids. I don't get it handed to me by the government, paid for by someone else's hard work and tax dollars. I'm all for giving a helping hand when needed, but, maybe, accepting that helping hand should involve some responsibility too. A good start would be only allowing food with at least SOME nutritional relevance to be purchased with Food Stamps.

And I really wish the people who get all these benefits would stop calling the people who actually PAY for all that they get, um...what was it?...stingy, mean-spirited, racist, etc. etc. etc. Our pockets aren't all that deep anymore thanks to entitlement programs.